Questions: Who are those protected by universal precautions?

The answer is the first one: Both workers and patients.

Explanation:

• Both workers and patients: Universal precautions are a set of guidelines designed to prevent the transmission of diseases and infections. These precautions protect both health care workers and patients by minimizing the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other infectious materials. This is the correct answer because the primary goal of universal precautions is to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the healthcare setting.

• Health care workers: While it is true that universal precautions protect health care workers by reducing their risk of exposure to infectious agents, this option is incomplete because it does not acknowledge the protection provided to patients.

• Patients: Similarly, this option is also incomplete. Universal precautions do protect patients by preventing the spread of infections from one patient to another, but it does not encompass the full scope of protection that includes health care workers.

Summary: Universal precautions are designed to protect both health care workers and patients from the transmission of infectious diseases, making the first option the most accurate.